


The Road to Zodiac

by Mandosaro



Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-17
Updated: 2016-01-16
Packaged: 2018-05-14 10:24:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5740087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mandosaro/pseuds/Mandosaro
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This takes place between series one and series two of 'Agent Carter'. Peggy is finally beginning to be recognised as a competent agent among her colleagues and becoming a more frequent member of important missions. However, when she is sent to Hungary on a relatively simple mission, Peggy stumbles upon a bit more than she bargained for...</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Road to Zodiac

Wooden splinters rained down as bullets roared their way through the room above Peggy's head. Rolling across the carpeted floor, Peggy grabbed hold of the Walther HP pistol and sought cover behind the piano that already had several bullet holes in it's side. Distant cries rang out and Peggy could vaguely make out orders being barked. The gunfire ceased and heavy footsteps started to close in. Crawling across the floor once more, Peggy moved around one of the many booths. In front of her was now a clear run to the bar. However, only the wooden seating booths were between her and the dozen or so heavily armed men that were running towards where they had been shooting at her at the far end of the restaurant. Crouching low, Peggy sprinted forwards. Some of the gunmen reached the far end of the room and peered around the grand piano to see their target had moved. Two of them ran around the booths and saw her charging away. Raising their rifles, they open fired. As Peggy reached the bar she leapt forwards. Spinning around in mid-air, Peggy had barely a second to aim the Walther HP before returning fire. She released three bullets before crashing down behind the bar. The gunmen's bullets did not hit their target. Instead they smashed into the various bottles being stored on the shelves behind the bar. Glass and the contents of said alcoholic bottles cascaded down upon Peggy. Several also slammed into the thick wooden face of the bar. Peggy's bullets had flown across the room as gracefully as an alighting swan. Two had slammed into the chest of the closest man, sending him falling backwards into the piano. The final bullet flew higher than the others, severing the metal chain that held the gently swinging crystal chandelier. The chandelier descended and smashed into the other man. Glass and shining crystals scattered across the floor along with several of the man's teeth. The other men began to fire their weapons at the bar.

Peggy was trapped. Breathing calmly, Peggy checked her weapon. Two bullets remaining. The bar was badly damaged and was sure to soon collapse. Readying herself for a final stand, Peggy moved to a crouching position with her gun at the ready.

 

\--TWO HOURS EARLIER--

 

Peggy pulled back the silk curtains of her hotel room and let the morning light spill inside, illuminating the small space. It wasn't the highest standard of hotel she had ever experienced but it was certainly superior to the hammocks during the war with the mud, rats and the sound of distant bombing. If an uncomfortable mattress and cries from an early morning market were the worst of her problems, she was not likely to complain. There was also the fact that she was leading her own mission for the SSR. That most definitely helped. Peggy picked up her handbag; checking that her radio, passport, Hungarian notes and gun were all inside before straightening her blue jacket over her pale white shirt and striding out of the room. Her gun was an FP-45 pistol that Howard had adapted. The original was a tiny gun able to fire a single shot. It was a last resort style of weapon. The new and improved version however was adapted from Hydra tech. It fired a small energy blast rather than an actual bullet, meaning that it could contain six shots and would require being left alone for 10 minutes to recharge each shot. It had certainly been useful two weeks ago in Argentina when chasing two women on horseback. Never again would Peggy Carter place her trust in the abilities of the Argentine postal service.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Peggy walked through the lobby, narrowly avoiding a man's drink spilling onto her dark blue trousers, and exited the hotel. The noise of 07:33am Budapest rushed to meet her. A light sprinkling of snow danced through the air and a breeze carried the chill. Allowing a small shiver, Peggy walked quickly down the street towards the rendezvous point. This was the third time Peggy had been to Budapest and she was looking forward to experiencing more of it's culture. The previous two times had been rather fleeting. She had not had the opportunity to see the City's sights but instead had spent most of her time underground, hidden in the boot of a car and in the cockpit of a fighter plane. She had taken a stroll through the City in 1944 during the German occupation for a brief mission but the detonation of the bridges of the river Danube had rather scuppered any chance of success they'd had back then.

Peggy turned a corner and before her was the rendezvous point. The Vigadó Concert Hall. The beautiful building had been one of the casualties of the war and had been badly damaged. Peggy made her way past the stone fountain, up the steps and through the large, open doors. Inside, building work was clearly underway with tools littering the ground and scaffolding covering almost every wall. A short man with a bowler hat was sitting in a wooden chair with his back to Peggy and the entrance. A briefcase stood on the floor beside him. He was Peggy's contact. The mission was simple. This man was Alec Rees, a Hungarian cryptologist who believed that he had intercepted some information from a Hydra task force operating in Budapest. Peggy's job was to confirm if the intel was correct and if so, to escort Mr Rees and his information to the SSR safe house in Budapest. Slipping into the shadows, Peggy drew her radio from her handbag.

"This is Eagle One. I am at point with what I believe to be the contact in site. I will shortly be making contact. Please ensure extraction team is on site. Over".

Peggy placed the radio back in the bag and drew her gun. Keeping in the dark, Peggy moved through the room, travelling underneath the wall's scaffolding. The man in the chair was motionless. Soon she could see his face. This was indeed Mr Rees. Peggy could also now see the large crimson patch that covered his chest and the large knife protruding from it. Mr Rees was dead. This was a trap. Peggy had her radio out in a second.

"Abort. Contact is dead. I repeat, contact is deceased. I am removing myself from point. Do not send reinforcements. Over and out."

A crackle from the radio showed that someone was attempting to respond but the radio was back in her bag in a heartbeat. Peggy walked quickly back through the shadows. She made it as far as the entrance before the briefcase beside Mr Rees detonated. The blast was rather significant. Mr Rees was ripped apart in an instant. Peggy was flung forwards and out the entrance. She hit the ground hard, her gun clattering down the stone steps from her loosened grip. Peggy used the momentum of the fall to continue to roll down the first five steps. A thin plume of fire erupted from the entrance and into the cold sky before disappearing. A large part of the roof creaked and groaned before collapsing along with lots of the scaffolding. Peggy clambered to her feet, picked up her gun and fled down the steps. A black car screeched to a halt at the base of the steps and the rear passenger door popped open. The number plate was enough to convince Peggy and she threw herself into the vehicle.

"DRIVE!"

The driver did not need anymore of an order from Peggy as the car leapt forwards and hurtled away from the building. The passenger door closed itself as Peggy sat down properly and adjusted her jacket. The numberplate (HOW STARK01) was rattling loudly as the car careered through the narrow streets.

"Howard, I told you all to stay away."

"You know Peg, one of these days you can just feel free to say thanks. I promise I won't tell anyone and I really won't hold it against you. I swear."

Howard swung the wheel to the left and the car screamed to follow. Peggy held the car door in an attempt to hold herself in place.

"I hardly think my thanks are in order. You deliberately disobeyed my instructions to stay away. That blast could have been ten times bigger. There could have been snipers on the rooftop. They could have even tr..."

Peggy didn't have a chance to finish her sentence. At that moment, a car careered up beside them with it's windows rolled down. The barrells of two machine guns faced them and bullets were spat forth.  Stark's bulletproof glass windows held their open and the car suffered barely anything more than some scratched paint work. Howard flicked a switch on the dashboard and a thin chainsaw protruded from the side of their car. Howard leaned the wheel to the side and they closed in on the other car, allowing the chainsaw to tear their tyres to shreds. The other car tried to remain upright but ended up smashing into several other parked cars before stopping on it's side.

"I'm sorry Peg. You were saying?"

Peggy rolled her eyes. Howard Stark really could be the most ridiculous man. Peggy watched as Budapest hurtled past outside the window. The snowfall was increasing and the thin dots of white snowflakes were merging with the dingy grey of the buildings as they flew past. The mission was a failure. Not only was Mr Rees dead but his information was lost along with him. Peggy tried to think of a way to spin the story as positive heavy but even she was struggling. Their car turned a corner and made it's way across one of the River Danube's repaired bridges. It was at this moment when there was a bright flash of blue in front of the car. They began to skid across the ground and span in several circles. Peggy opened her mouth to loudly complain to Howard when they span too sharply and mounted the pavement. Peggy inhaled sharply in shock as the car ripped through the bridge's railing. For a few seconds, they were suspended in mid-air. Howard was shouting something to her loudly but it was as though he was at the other end of a tunnel. His words didn't register. Peggy threw herself at the passenger side door and clicked the handle. The door opened briefly before they hit the ice cold water of the River Danube.


End file.
